Moistening device for mailing machines



Patented May-17, 1927.

, [LAWRENCE J; VZAHN, or LONG fsrlAivn crrY, N'Ew Y'oRK',

POSTAL SUPPLY COMPANY,

or BROOKLYN, new i Yomk,

' mors'rnivmc DEVICE ORMAI'LING Maui-nuns.

Application filed. August ;1926; ;Seria1 Nd. 130,418.;

This invention relates to a moistening device, particularly adapted foruse in connection with a mail sealing andstamp canceling machine. In asealing apparatusfor this pur pose, means must be provided formoistening theflap of theenvelope, so that the ad hesive substancethereon will be'moistenedsufiiciently, so that the envelope-may bequickly sealed, asit passes over the sealing rollers. A V

. It is the object of my invention toprovide a moistening device whichwill perform the functions of carrying a moistening liquid,

such as water, to the-envelope, in a highly eflicientinanner. Anotherobject of my invention is to provide a moistening apparatus which willgive long life and service, and one in which the parts may beoui'ckly,ad-. justed for suitable operation. f

- :These andvother objects will be apparent to one skilled in this art,after areading of j the .specification taken in connection with theannexed drawlng, wherein-e Figure 1, 1s a'partial side view on a muchreduced scale of a, machine to, which my improvement is adapted,-

a Figure 12, isa plan view of the moistening Referring now to thedetails, wherein like,

numbersrefer tocorresponding parts in the drawin'ggil is ;-a frame ofamachine to which a feed table 2. is attached. The letters to be sealedare laid on the table 2, and fed is cancelled it iscounte'd up onthemeter 9. 7 v .o a carries tl'LB'pHIIODi 31" connected to an idler '30,'and'this in turn to forward by a feed rollerB, drivenby anysatisfactory means such as a belt connected to a pulleywheel 4, Themachine comprises the usual 'pressure'and'feed" rollers 5; 6'. 7;8;etc.-, and a meter 9, which-is controlled by a printing die, so thatwhenever'a letter Asi'su'sual in suchmachines the letterafter passing bythe-Ineter9, guided by the guide: member 10, into the stacker 11.

Attachedxto the'frame 1', as by screw's14, is V .a small receptacle 12,suitable for carrying a "liquid, zsuch'as vwater, a filling ve'ssel apipe 15.

13. is connected with'the receptacle 12,by

'ssIGNoR To iitirnanaaionan A support member 18 having preferablyintegral therewith a bearing hub 17, is attached to the frame 1, that istosay, the v outside portion of the bearing 17 fits in the frame '1;'Carried by the bearing 17 f isa'shaft'16, connected'with any satisfactory driving means used in machines of this character.- On" the outerend of the shaft 16 sthe pulley wheel 4, already; referred to.

5 On the support member-18, 'there is carried two studs 25 and 32,preferably one of nut 27 On the stud 32ispivotally supportthese studsisadjustablelongitudinally of thesupport, as by means of aslot 26, and a7 ed :a drivingjmember or sprocket 28, while on thestud 25'i's-rotatablyjsupported a similar dr1ving member; or sprocket 24, andcarried by the sprockets 24 and 28 is a chain 19;

The 'cl 1a-i1'119,is made up of alternate links v comprising side'bars20 and 21, between the extremitie's'ofwhichare positionedconnecting bars 22; The'bars'2O and 21, carry an eyelet bushing 23, sothat the connecting bar 22, is pivoted on this eyel'et'as isomoreclearly shown'in Figure 4. Each eyelet carries "a brush 36, preferablymade of hair or bristles or [other satisfactory material, which areformed in thev shape of hairpin loops, ,a.nd passing around these loops,preferably a number of times-is a binding member 33, 3

preferably of fcjopper wire, which can be; readily solderedas at 34tojthe end of the eyelet and to thebar21. 7 Asshown in Fig} ure 4, aspace 34 isjpurp'osely indicated so as to showthe'binding wire 33inposition.

Sinceflthebearingstud-25 is adjustable with respect to the"stud"32, theproper tension on the feed chain may be obtained. The

support-18,together with the bearing bush ing-17. maybe adjustedlongitudinallyof the shaft 16," so as to 'givethe proper pressure ontheends of the brushes 36, as they pass by the inner flap of theenvelope,this ad thebrushesas they wearwith use. g As Will be s en in-Figiif3;the stud 32 lowerextremity'ofthe chain '19 dips "into the 1 i iustmentalsoprovides 'f or 'properi'setting of 0 receptacle 12 a suitabledistance and the brushes 36 pick up the moistening fluid, such as water,and carries it to the flap of themvelope.- While I have shown the chain19,

in a vertical position in igures2 and 3, it is to beunderstoodthat'inpractice the support 18, together with the chain 19,;may take an angularposition, to secure proper working relation of. the parts. i I

teeth 38 are adapted to pass over the rounded ends of theconnecting'links22, so that the driving is all applied t'oEthe connecting links 22,and not directly on the bearingeyelets 2 3 or other parts,

'lVhile I; haveshowna preferredform of applying invention it is to beunderstood that the details may be varied without departing; from thespirit or scope of the ap- V pended claims.

. Having thus described my invention, what -le-gln; aflmoistening devicefo r the, purpose I described, fit support, rotary operating membersmounted at each end: of thesupport, an end les's chaini carried by-saidoperating membars, a bearing carried by said "support, a drive shaftpassing through said bearing,

driving. meansfconnectedbetween said shaft and rat least one ofsaidoperating members and moistening brushes carried by said end+lesschainand adapted to be-m oved through I an associated receptaclecontaining a liquid,

. .2. Ina moistening device. for the purpose' f describeda su pport,-.rotary operating members mounted at each end ofthe support and meansfor altering the, distance between their axial centers, and anendless-chaincarried by, said operating members, bearing carried bysaidsupport, adr veshaft'passing "through said bearing,-driving meansconnected betweensaid shaft" and 'at least one "of said. operatingmembersgimoistening brushes carried; by saidc endless chain andadaptedto bc'moved through an associated receptacle containing a liquid,said support being adjustable longitudinally of {the shaft as-andfor thepurpose described 7 v V 1 ,y-3'. In amoistening device for the purposedescribed, ,aqsupport, a

.palI-fO f sprocket wheels mou nted for rotary movement at a spaceddistance apart on the support which distance inay be varied; at will, alink belt chain carried by said sprockets, atbearing' carriedby saidsupport, a drive-,shatt pass.-

ing through, said bearing, driving means connected. betweensaidyshaft'and at least oneofisaid sprockets-and moisteni-ng brushes carr ed by the-h-nksof .said e'hain said brushes adapted to be moved through an associat'ed receptacle containing liquid;

4. In a moistening-dvice,for the purpose described, a :suppo rt,-,.'apair. of sprocket The rotary members 24Land28 are prefer ablyconstructed so that the side is ofa length to fit the connecting lin r24 and, the

wheels mounted for rotary movement at a v spaced distance apart on thesupport,v which distance may, be varied at will, a link belt .chaincarried by said sprockets, a bearing carried by said support, a driveshaft/pass- 'ingthrough said bearing, driving means con-.-

nected between said shaftand at least one of said sprockets, and atleast one m'oistening brush carried by alternate links of saidv V chain,said brushes adapted to be moved through an associated receptaclecontaining aliquid. v c In a'moistening device for thetl'mrp'osedescribed, a support, a bearing preferably integral with said support, adrive shaft passing through'said bearing, a pulley on the outer cnd' ofsaid shaft, driving mean-s positionedbetween'said pulley ElIIClSZLlClbearing,

rotary opera-ting, members mounted apart on thesupportand meansforchanging the distance between their axial centers, connecting meansbetween said driving means on the shaft and at leastone of saidrotarymembers, a link chain carried by said operating membersand-brushes carried by a portion of said links, said brushesa'dapted'to-be moved through an associated receptacle containing aliquid; r i I -6. In ainoistening device for the purpose described, alink chain composed of alternate ing link-having its opposite ends"positioned e5 pairs'of laterally spaced links 'and' a connectbetweensaid :alternate :pairs of links,-eyelets passing through the ends ofsaid links and acting asbearings for 1 said connecting links,

brushes carried 'in said eyelets, sprocket wheels to receive SfllCllinks, a support for the hairpin loops bound together at the loop andthe binding means being attached to'one ofsaid laterallyspaced links,sprocket wheels to, receive 'said links, asupport for the sprockets andmeans for drivingat least one of said sprockets sosaid brushes will passthrough a liquid carried man associated-re"- cep-tacle.

8 In a mo-istening device for the purpose described, a link chaincomposed of'alternate pairseflaterally spacedlinks and a connecting linkhaving :its "opposite ends positioned between said alternate pairs oflinks, eyelets passing through thesends'of'saidlinks and acting asbearings; for. said connecting links,

brushes carried in said eyelets, sprocket wheels having faces betweenthe teeth ofsulr v stantiallylthe same length as the straight receptaclefor a liquid and driving means, a

portionof said connecting-link and theteeth of said sprockets beingformed tofit the curved endsot the connecting link for the purposedescribed, a support for the sprockets and means for driving at leastone of said sprockets so said brushes will pass through a liquidcarried'in an'associated receptacle. a

9 In a moistening apparatus includinga chain having an end extendingdownward into the receptacle, said chain comprising alternate links eachcarrying an eyelet in both ends, a connecting link pivotally mounted oneach eyelet, brush elements permanente ly positioned in the eyelets,sprocket wheels formed to fit said connecting links and means extendingbetween at least one sprocket wheel and the driving means for operatingthe chain. r 7 1 10. In a moistening apparatusincluding a receptacle fora liquid and driving means,

a chainhaving an'end extending downward 7 into the receptacle, saidchain comprising alternate links each carrying an eyelet in both ends,acoiinectingliiik pivotally 1nount- 3e ed on each eyelet,bruslies'composed ofa plurality of hairpin loops boundtogetherat'theloops and positioned in the eyelets, saidbind- 7 111g means beinganchored securely to the eyelet and cooperating link,'sprocket wheelsformed to fit said'coiinectinglinks aDCl HiQaDS extending between atleast onewsprocket wheel and the driving means for operating I thechain.

11. In a moistening apparatus including a receptacle for a liquid anddriving means, a chain having an end extending downward into thereceptacle, said chain comprising alternate links each carrying aneyelet in both ends, a connecting link p'ivotally' mounted on eacheyelet, brush elements permanentsaid rotary operating means.

Intestirnony'whereofll aflix my signature, 5 j

' AWREN E-Jinna- 45 .ly positioned inthe eyelets, rotary operating meansfor carrying said chainand'connect ing ine'ans between saiddrlymg meansand

